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Electrical imaging of the groundwater aquifer at Banting, Selangor, Malaysia

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

A geophysical study was carried out in the Banting area of Malaysia to delineate groundwater aquifer and marine clay layer of the alluvial Quaternary deposits of Beruas and Gula Formations. The Beruas Formation is formed by peat and clayey materials as well as silt and sands, whereas the Gula Formation consists of clay, silt, sand and gravels. Both Formations were deposited on top of the Carboniferous shale of the Kenny Hill Formation. A 2-D geoelectrical resistivity technique was used. Resistivity measurement was carried out using an ABEM SAS 4000 Terrameter. The 2-D resistivity data of subsurface material for each survey line was calculated through inverse modelling and then compared with borehole data. The resistivity images of all the subsurface material below the survey lines show similar pattern of continuous structure of layering or layers with some lenses with resistivity ranging from 0.1 to 50 Ωm. The upper layer shows resistivity values ranging from 0.1 to 10 Ωm, representing a clay horizon with a thickness up to 45 m. The second layer with depth varies from 45 to 70 m below surface and has resistivity values ranging from 10 to 30 Ωm. Borehole data indicate coarse sand with some gravels for this layer, which is also the groundwater aquifer in the study area. The lowermost layer at a depth of 70 m below ground level shows resistivity values ranging from 30–50 Ωm and can be correlated with metasedimentary rocks consisting of shale and metaquartzite.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the members of UKM Geophysical Group for their cooperation in the geophysical field data collection and help in processing some of the data, and also wish to thank the Department of Mineral and Geosciences of Malaysia for providing data used for the interpretation and the Malaysian Ministry of Sciences, Technology & Environment for financial assistance under RM7 R&D project 02-02-02-0010.

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Correspondence to Umar Hamzah.

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Hamzah, U., Yaacup, R., Samsudin, A.R. et al. Electrical imaging of the groundwater aquifer at Banting, Selangor, Malaysia. Environ Geol 49, 1156–1162 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0160-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0160-6

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